The Purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to:
• Further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive
propagation of reptiles and amphibians;
• Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and
amphibians;
• Promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.

The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.
Membership is open to all individuals with an interest in amphibians and reptiles. The
Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its members
with information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging information, opinions and resources.
General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of the
University of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holiday
conflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check the
MHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations.
Submissions to the Newsletter
Ads or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to be
included in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows and
should be in electronic file format if possible. See inside back cover for ad rates.
Submissions may be sent to:
The Minnesota Herpetological Society
Attn: Newsletter Editor
Bell Museum of Natural History
10 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455.0104

Copyright 2005, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be reproduced for non-profit, noncommercial use only. All material must be reproduced without change. Proper credit will be given including the
author/photographer and the MHS Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

From the Editor: This article I ran across particularly concerns me, as I’ve been perusing the past
issues of the MHS newsletter, and increasingly the newsletter editors have had to resort to pleas
and bribes in order to get submissions. Now, along with the newsletter, we seem to be running low
on volunteers to chair specific functions, to go out to do hands-ons, and even to fill the board!
(Many thank yous to those who stepped up to fill vacant positions.) So, for your own perusal and
food for thought, a Florida herp society’s situation.

South. Florida Reptile Fanciers Find Their
Club Can’t Compete With Internet
By Daniella Aird, The Sun,
September 12, 2005
Coconut Creek · Gary DiPalma lifted the box’s
lid to reveal a slithering mass of newborn boa
constrictors.
Dermot Bowden peered inside, savoring the
sight. “Whoa! Nice!” he said.
Bowden then whipped out pictures of his own
baby boas. “Oooh!” DiPalma gushed, eyes popping.
This reptile show-and-tell took place at the
Sawgrass Herpetological Society’s monthly
meeting. Members gathered at the Fern Forest
Nature Center on Lyons Road to discuss the latest information about reptiles and amphibians.
The meeting was BYOR.
The society is barely surviving amid a new generation of reptile lovers who rely on the Internet
for information about the care and breeding of
snakes, tortoises, turtles, frogs, geckos and
other creatures. Chat rooms, message boards
and Web sites have replaced monthly meetings
where members gather to swap stories about
turtle mating and the newest snake breeds. At a
recent meeting, eight people trickled in. “We
used to pack this place,” said DiPalma of Wilton
Manors, the group’s only original member. “Now
we’re barely existing.”

The society, founded in 1990, has a dwindling
roster of about 20 people, down from 115. To
make up for shrinking membership fees, the
group hosts garage sales twice a year, DiPalma
said.
“People don’t like to come out to the parks and
do stuff anymore,” said Joan Kohl, president and
founder of the Coral Springs-based Sawgrass
Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital. “They’re satisfied sitting in front of their [computer] screens.”
In its heyday, experts from all over Florida came
to the center to address crowds 75 strong. “I
remember you couldn’t get into the parking lot
for meetings,” Kohl recalled.
When the Internet boom hit, herpetological societies across Florida suffered as people discovered the endless amounts of information available in cyberspace about reptiles and amphibians. The Sawgrass Herpetological Society is
among five in the state, down from 18, DiPalma
said, adding that groups in Palm Beach and
Miami-Dade counties have folded.
Boynton Beach resident Mark Hoffman, a member since 1993, said the Internet is no match for
the society’s two-hour meetings where reptile
banter includes planning snake hunts and field
trips. He said he’d rather meet with real people
than screen names. “The Internet takes the
human element out of it,” he said.
(Herp society, continued on page 5)
Page 3

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

News, Notes & Announcements
November Adoption Report

Election Results: MHS Board for 2006

by Sarah Richard, Adoption Chair

The following 21 animals
found homes at the
November meeting. Thanks to
all who stepped up to help a
hapless herp. Thanks as well
to Jeff L. for his assistance in
Alligator bagging. I have
already started next month’s
list with a Red Eared Slider
that was left in the aisle at
C&D Pets in Minneapolis. It is
a good sized male with very
pretty front claws!
Ball Python
Boa (2)
Burmese Python
Corn Snake (4)
Alligator
Iguana
Leopard Gecko (2)
Savannah Monitor
Ornate Box Turtles (2)
Painted Turtle
Russian Tortoise
Red eared Slider, sm. (2)
Sulcata (2)

Opportunities for MHS Involvement!
We need a new Rodent Chair! Training and freezer provided!
(Freezer size under 4 feet wide.)
Also, we need a Photo Contest Chair! This chair is responsible
for planning and carrying out the photo contest, held annually
during March’s White Snake Sale.
Contact a board member for more information!

2005 Holiday Banquet
If you are planning to
come to the banquet on
December 3, 2005,
please drop Liz Bosman
a line, with the number of
people coming with you
and what kind of dish you
are bring to share. You
can e-mail her.
Remember it’s only $5.00
a person and a dish to
share. You can pay Liz at
the next meeting.
Thanks!

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

Attention all Board and Committee Members:

(Herp society, continued from page 3)

The MHS Board of Directors meeting will held
at Community room at Byerly’s in St. Louis
Park on Jan 6, 2006 at 6:00 P.M. The room
holds mid 30’s. The address: 3777 Park Center
Drive. It is reserved under the Minnesota
Herpetological Society. Thank you, Marilyn for
reserving the room.

DiPalma, nicknamed “Froggie,” reached into a
bag, uncoiled a Hog Island boa constrictor and
hung it around his neck. Flicking its black
tongue, the snake twined around his head and
down his back.

Also, this is a double board meeting. The 2005
Minnesota Herpetological Society Board of
Directors will turn over to the 2006 Board of
Directors. We have lots to discuss so your
attendance is appreciated. As a courtesy to
me, if you are not going to be able to attend,
please inform me beforehand. Furthermore, if
you have anything you want to discuss, please
also inform me so I can add it to the meeting
agenda. In addition, all committees are invited
to give their status reports.
Regards,
Sean Hewitt, MHS President
Ed. Note: As always, everyone is invited to attend the
board meetings! It’s a great way to see and hear what’s
going on in MHS!

Monthly meeting: Friday, December 2, 2005,
7:00 PM
Speaker: TBA
Program: TBA
December is always an exciting month for the
Minnesota Herpetological Society. The Holiday
banquet is an excellent opportunity to socialize
with friends and win great prizes at the raffle.
We’ll also have some home-brewed beer to
warm your hearts. A speaker has not been confirmed as we take the newsletter to press but
rest assured that we are working hard to bring
an excellent set of presentations to the monthly
meeting and holiday banquet. Please check the
MHS webpage for the latest updates
(www.mnherpsoc.org).

Davie resident Vicki Karr stood by, admiring the
serpent. “He has so much color toward the end
of his tail,” she said. Karr said she comes to the
meeting to learn from experts about how to care
for Sony, her pet tortoise. During seminars and
discussions, she learned to feed him a proteinrich diet of hibiscus flowers. Kohl said Web sites
don’t always provide reliable information about
the proper care of reptiles and amphibians.
“You never know who’s giving out the information on the Internet, but there are certain methods for caring for these reptiles,” she said,
adding that people often release their exotic
pets, which is harmful to native wildlife.
Bowden, 42, a software salesman from Palm
Beach Gardens, said he makes the trek to
Coconut Creek each month because he likes
meeting with other people who share his passion.
“I’ve been interested in reptiles since I was a
kid,” said Bowden, who also breeds Cay Caulker
boa constrictors.
Boca Raton resident John Roig, 12, one of the
society’s youngest members, flitted about the
room, petting the variety of snakes. Standing
nearby was his father, also named John, who
admitted reptiles “weren’t his thing.”
Asked why he drags his dad to meetings, Roig
said, “You get to hold them and pet them. You
can’t do that on a computer.” §
Page 5

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

Man hospitalized after snakebite: Marion
breeder in serious condition
By Holly Zachariah, The Columbus Dispatch
September 17, 2005
From kingsnake.com
With 200 snakes inside his Marion home,
Michael Jolliff has been bitten plenty of times.
This time, something went terribly wrong.
Maybe the Western diamondback rattler struck a
vein Thursday night, maybe it sent a particularly
massive dose of venom coursing through Jolliff’s
bloodstream.
All anyone knows for sure is that the snake
breeder now lies in a Columbus hospital bed,
unconscious, fighting for his life.

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

Clark, of the Marion Police Department. “He
grabbed some serum, but we don’t know if he
got a chance to use it.”
The pair left the house immediately, Clark said,
but by the time they arrived at the closest Marion
fire station, Jolliff, 32, was unconscious.
Late last night, he was listed in serious condition
at the Ohio State University Medical Center.
The number of snakebites in the United States
each year is not known — the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
don’t require reporting — but experts estimate it
could be as high as 10,000 and rising. The number of deaths resulting from such bites, however,
is fewer than 10 each year.
Two Ohioans died last year from bites.

Kentucky Reptile Zoo Director Jim Harrison
houses one of the world’s largest collections of
venomous snakes and has been a consultant on
bites for more than 20 years. He’s met Jolliff.
Harrison said he was saddened but not surprised to hear about Jolliff’s latest reaction.
“That’s the problem with snakebites, you can’t
pigeonhole them,” Harrison said. “Each one is
very different.”
Marion police say Jolliff — who has long kept
snakes inside his home in northwestern Marion
— was showing Ray Smelzer, a friend and
potential customer, a python just after 11 p.m.
Jolliff reached into a cabinet to get another and
grabbed the Western diamondback rattler
instead, authorities said. The snake bit Jolliff’s
thumb.
“He told Smelzer that he’d been bit, and that
he’d better get him to a hospital,” said Lt. Dave
Page 6

Jolliff has held an Ohio Department of Natural
Resources’ permit to own native species since
2002. In 2003, however, he pleaded guilty to
state wildlife misdemeanor violations for failing to
keep proper records and for failing to properly
tag a reptile.
Exotic animals — such as the Western diamondback — are regulated locally.
Marion has no law governing the housing of
snakes, said Kandy Klosterman of the department’s Division of Wildlife.
Harrison, who extracts snake venom as many as
1,000 times a week for serum, said even if Jolliff
had the proper serum at his home, it likely
wouldn’t have helped immediately.
“In some cases, for some snakes, it takes as
much as 50 vials intravenously,” Harrison said.
“The most important thing is to . . . get to a hospital and help them understand exactly who to
call and what to do.”

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

December 2005

Harrison has been bitten many times, more than
once by a Western diamondback. The poison
from that snake — which is the second-most
common venomous snake in the United States
— prevents blood clotting and attacks the muscles. The patient usually recovers.
Bites, he said, are just something snake owners
get used to.
“If you play with guns, eventually you could get
shot,” he said. “If you handle snakes, eventually
you could get bit. It’s a risk.”
-Submitted by D.K. Compton

Rattler Tidbits
Newborn rattlesnakes do not have functional
rattles; they only have one segment with nothing for it to rattle against.
In wet weather, if the rattle has absorbed sufficient water, it will not make noise - another
reason not to rely on a warning from a rattlesnake.
Even with a useful rattle, a rattlesnake might
not always give a warning. There has been
speculation that rattlesnakes that use their rattles around humans are often killed. Natural
selection might favor rattlesnakes that don't
give advance warning.
-from wikipedia.org

Volume 25

Number 12

The following is also from kingsnake.com;
the story of the bitee:
Posted by: Jolliff at Mon Sep 19 13:54:11 2005
This was my post in the Venomous section there are also pix there if you’re curious.
I’d first like to thank everyone who expressed
concern, emailed, or left phone messages. Even
if I was just in your thoughts, I appreciate it.
As with any bite from a captive, it was a mistake
on the keeper’s part. In this case, it was a split
second error that almost proved fatal. I have
been keeping HOTS for about ten years and
have always said “Anyone can make a mistake
as we are all human.” As Mr. Harrison stated in
his official release, “Bites, he said, are just
something snake owners get used to. If you play
with guns, eventually you could get shot,” he
said. “If you handle snakes, eventually you could
get bit. It’s a risk.” As Duffy pointed out, there
are hazards involved in everyday life. Consider
the job hazards involved with being a foundry or
construction worker (both jobs I’ve had) and
what about the perils our men in uniform face
everyday? These are risks we accept and try to
prevent.
I did get grazed two years ago and I learned a
valuable lesson that day and took precautionary
measures to ensure the same mistake did not
repeat itself. Unfortunately, we all learn from our
mistakes and I will definitely make adjustments
to prevent this kind of thing from happening
again. I am fully aware that these incidents
affect more people than the person envenomated and hate to see all the press (which is usually
– as in this case – not 100% accurate).
With that being said, this IS what happened for
those who are as curious as I am.
My friend was at my place and we were taking
Page 7

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

pictures of the Ball Pythons we have available.
This is his first year doing the “snake thing” so
this was quite a traumatic experience for him as
well. We were pretty much done when I decided
to grab two more Pythons. I was in a hurry and
simply opened the wrong drawer (yes, the are
labeled). Since I was working with the Balls, I
had my guard down for a split second and that is
all it took. My yearling male Caramel WDB
(probably one of the meanest snakes I have)
was waiting to ambush prey.
As soon as I opened the cage, I saw a flash of
yellow & felt a slight tap. I immediately closed
the drawer, grabbed my epi-pens & asked my
friend to drive me to the hospital which is about
ten minutes away.
I called 911 to have them prepare the hospital
for a WDB bite and informed them that I needed
Cro-Fab as I am allergic to horses (and about
everything else for that matter). They traced the
call and realized we were right by the Fire
Station/EMT. They instructed us to pull in and let
the “professionals” take over.
As we pulled in, I could feel my body going into
hyper drive like a freshly bitten mouse. I
informed the firemen that I had two Epi-pens on
hand and I was going to use one as I slammed it
into my thigh. That was the last thing I remember until I regained consciousness around 3:00
p.m. on Friday at OSU Medical Center
(Columbus).
According to my friend, the firemen didn’t seem
too concerned and told him “not to get excited”
as they stood there and watched me go into
seizures eight minutes after the bite. He started
yelling that they had better get move on and said
he would transport me himself if they were going
to just stand there. They dropped me on the first
attempt to remove me from the car but eventually got me to the hospital where we never get
snakebites. They resuscitated me (as my lungs
Page 8

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

had collapsed) & life-flighted me to Columbus
(about 1.5 hours away by car) where they didn’t
expect me to make it. They did CAT scans as
they thought I may have fluid on my brain. They
did perform a slight fasciotomy on my hand to
“check compartment pressure” as my fingers
were blue. I eventually came around and was in
full spirits as I knew this was going to be real
serious. I was just glad to wake AND NOT see
my whole arm split open. We told them not to,
but you know doctors. They had me out of ICU
in 24 hours and released me 24 hours after that.
They initially told my wife they didn’t think I was
going to make it and couldn’t believe how quickly I recovered. I was not able to find out how
many bags of Cro-Fab I received but 3 – 7 was
the answer depending on who I asked. At one
time, my diastolic blood pressure was 50 and
they said the pH level in my blood was “not typical of a living person.”
So that is my weekend – closest to death that
I’ve ever been. All I can say is don’t believe it
can never happen to you and have Epi-pens on
hand. I’m not familiar w/ the details of the Rhino
bite that took the life of the OH fireman last year,
but I believe (?) he died from Anaphylactic
shock. I also believe I would not be here today if
I didn’t have the Epi-pens on hand. Everyone
stresses the importance of having your own antivenin but that is not what usually kills you w/in
fifteen minutes of a bite. So please see your
doctors and get some epinephrine – just in case
you happen to make that split second error.”
-Submitted by D.K. Compton

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society

December 2005

What’s So Weird About Being a Herper?
By Allen Salzberg
To most civilians (i.e., non-herpers), reptiles and
amphibians are just plain weird. Some have
shells. Others have no legs. Many eat (yuck!)
bugs or (double yuk!) mice and rats.
To these same civilians, herpers come in a close
second in the weird category. And as you know,
we herpers are proud of our weirdness.
This is especially true of herpers who are willing
to go way beyond what “normal” society defines
as the call of duty in terms of taking care of animals.
As the owner of HerpArts.com, an on-line gift
store for reptile and amphibian lovers, it’s
inevitable that my daily e-mail contains at least
one good, “You wouldn’t believe …” story from a
herper.
Many of these stories involve food, both human
and herp.
For instance, there’s the creation of two shopping lists—one for humans, the other for herps.
And the issue of who gets the best quality food.
In this case, the humans always lose. The family
gets the canned goods, the iceberg lettuce,
maybe a chopped tomato and cucumber for their
salad; their herps enjoy the freshest, and most
expensive Boston or red-leafed lettuce, fresh
cantaloupe, and hothouse tomatoes.
When there’s a pet shop in the mall next to the
supermarket, a third shopping list is also created. This one includes mice, feeder goldfish,
superworms and crickets.
Herping has been known to change the way herpers look at other animals.

Volume 25

Number 12

Take the lady from the Midwest who hates cockroaches. Now she raises them. They make
excellent treats for her bearded dragons.
Or the avid Texas baseball fan that, during night
games, can’t keep his attention from straying
from the field to the bugs flying around the lights.
Hmm, he thinks, wouldn’t my lizard love some of
those bugs?
Of course, herper madness does not stop with
food. A couple I know love to shop for furniture.
That’s because they’ve converted lots of their old
furniture into cages.
Others have remodeled a room—into a walk incage for a full-grown iguana. Some rip out prized
rose bushes so their turtles can have a bigger
pond.
There’s even been serious negotiations over
whether or not to add a wing to the family
house—not just for herps to move into, but to
display a herper’s hundreds (or was that thousands?) of herp knick-knacks.
Herps of course, start to affect many other parts
of your life.
Your family complains that they don’t see you
anymore. Or they refuse to let you leave the
house without a written promise not to return
with another snake, frog or turtle.
You start to develop different sets of friends—
herp people…and everyone else.
And when your spouse says, “Either the herps
go or I go!” you hesitate. You negotiate. You beg,
bargain and plea.
This is where the Herp Postnuptial Agreement
(What’s so weird?, continued on page 12)
Page 9

Treasurer’s Notes:
Income:
* $1,513.61 RenFest donations
* $375.00 hands-on donations
* $6,946.39 Transfer from savings
Expense: $1,346.67 Occasional Paper Printing
Although not all expenses have been totalled, it looks as
if the Midwest was a great success. Thanks to all who
attended and participated.
Page 12

December 2005

Volume 25

Number 12

(What’s so weird?, continued from page 9)
was first introduced. In the case of herp lovers
married to each other, it lays out how who gets
what herps. (Only kidding; but it sounds like a
good idea.)
It’s not all bad though.
Your friends and family always know what to get
you for your birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s
Day, or wedding anniversary—anything related to
your favorite herp.
These same people also start to visit you more
often. After all, you have a better, more varied
and healthier herp collection than the local zoo.
And the kids can ask the “zoo-keeper “ all the
questions they want.
And that is something any owner of any animal
(dog, cat, bird or herp) most desires—being
about to talk about your beloved pets for as long
as you like!
Allen Salzberg recently collected the best of
these stories, with his wife Anita Salzberg
(author of Confessions of a Turtle Wife), in their
best-selling book, You Know You’re a
Herper…When You Dream in Green. available at
HerpArts.com, Amazon.com, and
Barnesandnoble.com. Originally written and published for the Mid-Atlantic Reptile Show program
May 17, 18, 2005.

*12th month is free on a one year commitment
Advertising Policies
MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health or legality of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHS
Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to space
limitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission.

Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of charge as space
permits. Ads may be ran three consecutive months, after which time they may be resubmitted. Corresponding members are allowed a complimentary business card advertisement
monthly as space permits. Due to federal restrictions on Non-profit mailing permits, we are
not allowed to run ads for travel, credit or insurance agencies.
Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Editor, Bell Museum of
Natural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadline is the night of the
General Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checks payable to: Minnesota
Herpetological Society.